Huntersville man facing child porn charges

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. -- An undercover child pornography investigation in Virginia has landed a Huntersville man behind bars. Police seized his computer and say more charges could be on the way.

Neighbors tell WCNC it’s bad enough that a 42-year-old man was allegedly trying to contact a young child over the Internet. What they can’t believe is how a man with kids of his own could be involved in this.

Many neighbors in a quiet Huntersville subdivision like Chris Ernsberger are in disbelief.

“It shocks me,” he said. “I can’t get over that something like that would happen.”

Most are just learning what police say their neighbor was doing inside his home.

“You know you see them in the neighborhood, they’re always waving, very nice. Just totally blows my mind,” said Ernsberger.

Investigators say Michael Jarecke was trying to make contact with an underage child over the Internet. That child turned out to be an undercover police officer in Virginia.

Another neighbor, Paul Turbedsky, says he needs to know more. “Is it something he was participating in and producing and making contact with kids?”

Huntersville police seized Jarecke’s computer and found what they describe as ‘a large number of pornographic images and movies of children.’ This from a man who has kids of his own.

“Now that’s what really floors you is to know that you’re bringing up kids and you’re trying to set an example for them,” exclaimed Ernsberger.

That’s why the neighbor’s thoughts are with Jarecke’s family.

Turbedsky urges everyone to, “keep praying for everyone involved that there won’t be any additional victims and that justice will be served.”

Police are still investigating but say it does not appear Jarecke was producing any of the illicit material. Meanwhile, Jarecke remains behind bars facing nine counts of possessing child porn and one count of indecent liberties with a child.